Gentle remedies: Restoring faith in the first step of nonpharmacological infant mental health care for the prevention and treatment of “disruptive behavior”

Abstract

Parents and healthcare providers are reported to be “desperate” for solutions for dealing with temper tantrums and other extreme “disruptive behaviors.” Reports state that at least 10,000 and as many as 20,000 infants under the age of two in 2014 were prescribed drugs such as risperidone, quetiapine, and other antipsychotic medications, suggesting that parents may have lost faith in their inner abilities to create an environment for their infant. Dr. Maria Montessori, concluded from her work that the nervous troubles of many “difficult” children can be traced to one of the most “harmful forms of repressive action” an adult can take, that of “interference” with or interrupting a child's self-chosen activity. This paper explores alternatives to adult interruption that begins with shushing crying infants and may extend to demanding medications with the intention of stopping behaviors. It discusses a tiered infant mental health care system in which conservative care, the first tier or step can be restored with nonpharmacological gentle remedies. Gentle remedies are neither better than nor are they a replacement for pharmaceutical drugs, the fourth and last step of the tiered system due to their known short term and potential long-term risks. The gentle remedies first step approach begins with parents engaging in environment and lifestyle management. Examples of other gentle remedies discussed for use in helping infants to discharge stress and frustration include lullabies, hot water bottles, infant massage education, oatmeal baths and other herbal simples, and Bach Flower Remedies.